autologous anti-CD79a/anti-CD20 CAR T cells bbT369

A preparation of genetically modified autologous T lymphocytes that are transduced with a single lentiviral vector (LVV) to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) specific for the two tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) cluster of differentiation 20 (CD20) and the B-cell antigen receptor complex-associated protein alpha chain (CD79a), and transfected with an mRNA encoding the Casitas B-lineage lymphoma proto-oncogene-b (CBLB)-targeting megaTAL enzyme to edit the CBLB gene, with potential immunostimulating and antineoplastic activities. Upon administration, the autologous anti-CD20/CD79a CAR T cells bbT369 target and bind to CD20- and CD79a-expressing tumor B cells. This induces selective toxicity in tumor B cells expressing these TAAs. Both CD20 and CD79a are B-cell-specific cell surface antigens overexpressed in B-cell lineage malignancies. Targeting both CD20 and CD79a may prevent tumor cell antigen escape and relapse, and may increase anti-tumor activity. The removal of CBLB, an E3 ubiquitin ligase and a negative regulator of T-cell function, will increase T-cell expansion and activation.